UNICEF UTM: Where the fight for children’s rights starts
UNICEF UTM is bringing UNICEF Canada’s mission to life with fundraising events and opportunities for student involvement on campus.
The University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is committed to fighting for children’s rights.
Originally known as the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, UNICEF was created in 1946 to provide food and healthcare resources for children and mothers in countries affected by World War II. In 1950, the organization’s mandate was extended to help children and women in all developing countries, and in 1953, the organization became a permanent part of the United Nations System.
Founded in 2018 by UTM student Rumsha Daimaa, UNICEF UTM was created to spread UNICEF’s mission on campus and provide students with the means to advocate and fundraise for children.
The Medium sat down with UNICEF UTM’s president, Mustafa Amin and secretary, Mirthika Selliah, to understand how the club is implementing UNICEF’s global mission on the UTM campus.
Why the focus on children?
According to Selliah, most of UNICEF Canada’s campaigns and fundraisers are centred around children. To retain the original spirit of UNICEF, the UTM branch decided to stick to this focus.
Amin explained that adults have the opportunity to “amplify their voices, or advocate for themselves,” whereas most children have yet to develop the ability to do the same. Children also cannot access the same resources or materials that adults do, which puts them in a more vulnerable position. With that in mind, UNICEF UTM has decided to aid children worldwide by raising funds for vaccines and emergency relief efforts.
The importance of hosting events
Every event UNICEF UTM holds is directed at raising money for one of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
Last year, the club held a fundraiser by selling Crumbl Cookies. To make it more appealing, the fundraiser was combined with a Polaroid booth for people to take pictures with their friends. According to Amin and Selliah, the cookies sold out quickly, and the club raised a substantial amount of money.
When asked about this year’s events, Amin shared, “October will be our debut month.” The club hopes to be active this year, starting strong with two events this October, and maintaining a steady pace of hosting one event each month. This will provide students and faculty with numerous opportunities to attend and support fundraisers.
Given the success of last year’s Crumbl Cookies fundraiser, Amin hopes to bring back the baked goods fundraiser early on in October with a lecture on the man-made genocide in Gaza.
“The Sustainable Development Goal for the baked cookies fundraiser will be for Good Health and Well-being,” shared Amin. This will address the “Zero Hunger” goal. “My main goal for the Gaza event will be bringing in a learned guest lecturer to speak about the topic and raise awareness about children’s rights in the conflict zone, the role of international law, and what efforts are being taken to address famine in the region,” Amin continued.
As the club’s president, Amin also spoke about the three pillars that he intends to implement throughout UNICEF UTM’s activities this year. The three pillars are education, advocacy, and fundraising. The club hopes to put more emphasis on fundraising, given that it is the most tangible way to make a direct impact and transform student involvement into real change for children worldwide. That being said, the club will ensure that each event also educates people on campus and advocates for children affected by global issues.
How you can help
Amin stated that by directly hosting events on campus, UNICEF UTM offers students and faculty an accessible way to make an impact. “We walk on this campus every day,” he said. “What we are here to do is provide the means for students and faculty to get involved. You don’t need to go far away. You don’t need to travel. It’s right here.”
Selliah echoed Amin’s point and said that UNICEF UTM can always benefit from an extra set of hands during events. Amin further notes that, “not only donating and spreading the word, but actually being there makes a big difference.” A larger crowd can liven up events, drawing more attention from passersby, which in turn boosts morale and raises donations.
These congregations also create a sense of community between students at UTM. In your free time, reach out to UNICEF UTM and volunteer to help set up events and fundraisers. Not only will you be contributing to a good cause, but you will also get to make new connections on campus.
Selliah elaborated that UNICEF UTM’s mission is not just about fundraising, but also about teaching and spreading awareness about the crises occurring around the world. So, even if you don’t have time to drop by the club’s events, you can show your support by posting on your social media to raise awareness of the issues taking place around the globe.
To spread awareness, students may also share posts from UNICEF UTM’s Instagram account @unicef.utm.
